Head rest



Nov. 24, 1936.

O. L. HEROD HEAD REST 2 Sheets-Sh eet 1 Filed April 254, 1935 Z Ell/ Mwwm NOV. 24, 1936. HERQD 2,062,056

HEAD REST Filed April 25, 1935" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 1936 2,062,056

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICIE HEAD REST Omar L. Herod, Point Marion, Pa.

Application April 25, 1935, Serial No. 18,227

7 Claims. (Cl. -72) This invention relates to an improved head the latch for holding the cam out of gripping enrest forming part of a stretcher of the type used gagement with the side rail released.

in hospitals and ambulances for conveying pa- Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken along the tients from one place to another, and one object line 55 of Figure 3. 5 of the invention is to provide the stretcher with Figure 6 is a view looking down upon Figure 4. '5

a head rest of such construction that it may be Figure 7 is a top plan view of a modified form moved from a lowered position to an elevated posiof head rest.

tion in which it extends at an incline and secure- In the accompanying drawings, there has been ly but releasably held in the elevated position. shown a stretcher frame, indicated in general by 10 Another object of the invention is to so connect the numeral 5, and having side rails 2 connected 10 the lower ends of braces for the head rest that by end rails 3. This stretcher frame may form they may be slid along side rails of the stretcher a portion of a wheeled stretcher or be supported frame and very securely held in the adjusted poin any other desired manner. Guard rails 4 rise sition with the head rest extending at a desired from the side rails 2 and may serve to prevent h incline. danger of a patient rolling ofi of the stretcher and 15 Another object of the invention is to provide a also as handles to be grasped by a nurse or other device of this character wherein the lower ends attendant operating the stretcher. of the braces are pivotally connected with cams In connection with the frame 2, there has been carried by sleeves fitting loosely about the side provided an adustable support 5 which engages 2 rails of the stretcher frame, the braces being prounder the back and head of a patient and is vided with means for preventing the cams from adjustably mounted so that the patient may rest moving into gripping engagement with the side in a reclining position or be propped up. This rails during sliding of the sleeves along the side support has side bars 6 formed of metal tubing rails when adjusting the head rest. and at its lower front end each tube is split to M 5 Another object of the invention is to so form form hinge ears 1 which are pivoted to upstanding 5 the head rest that the upper portion thereof may ears carried by sleeves 8. These sleeves 8 fit about be longitudinally adjusted and frictionally held the side bars 2 of the stretcher frame and are in a set position so that it will accommodate itfirmly secured rearwardly of the guard rails 4 by self to the size of the patient occupying the pins 9. At their upper ends the side bars 6 carstretcher and permit the head of the patient to ry open ended couplings It formed with side ex- 30 rest comfortably against the extensible portion tensions H, and referring to Figure 2 it will be of the head rest. seen that each side extension II is formed with Another object of the invention is to provide a threaded socket IE to receive the threaded an improved adjustable head rest which may be lower end of an arm l3 of a cross bar l4. By this formed of metal strips and tubes, thus providing arrangement the couplings may be screwed upon 35 a head rest which will be simple in construction the lower ends of the arms I I, and upper ends of and very strong, while at the same time light in the side bars 6 then screwed into the couplings,

weight. thus producing a frame for the support or back The invention is illustrated in the accompanyand head rest which extends longitudinally of the ing drawings, wherein stretcher frame and is pivotally connected with 40 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the the stretcher frame by the mounting sleeves 8. frame of a stretcher equipped with the improved A suitable number of strips l5, which are formed head rest. of leather straps, extend transversely of the Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showstretcher frame and support with their ends firming a side portion of the improved head rest parly secured to the side rails 2 and side bars 6, and 45 tially in section and partially in elevation and other strips it which are also formed of leather illustrating the manner in which the upper head straps extend longitudinally of the stretcher engaging portion of the head rest is adjusted. frame and support in crossed relation to the strips Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the I5 with their forward ends anchored to the front lower end portion of one of the braces and the bar 3 of the stretcher frame and their rear ends 50 means for slidably and adjustably connecting the anchored to the cross bar it of the support. By

brace with a side rail of the stretcher frame with this arrangement, a very good support for a matthe securing cam held out of gripping engagement tress or the like will be provided and the guard with the side rail. rails 4 will prevent the mattress from slipping Figure 4 is a view similar to. Figure 3 showin transversely out of place.

Patients are not all of the same height and, therefore, the back and head rest has been formed with an upper portion I! having a cross bar 18 formed of metal tubing, the ends of which are bent to form side rails [9 in which rods or tubes 20 are secured by pins 2|. These rods or tubes, which form extensions for the side arms I 9, are of a diameter to fit snugly in the side bars 6 and registering openings of the couplings H], as shown in Figure 2, and each is formed with a slot extending longitudinally from adjacent its lower or forward end, as shown at 22, to provide an expansible forward portion having frictional binding engagement with the walls of the side bars 6 to hold the upper'section in an adjusted.

position. Therefore, while the upper sectionmay be easily moved longitudinally of the main section of the support, it will be frictionally held in an adjusted position and the extensions 20 of its side bars l9 will not be liable to slip downwardly through the side bars 6 after the upper section has been adjusted. A cross strip 23 formed of metal extends between lower end portions of the side arms 19 where they are firmly secured, and between the cross strip 23 and the cross bar 18 extend other metal strips 24 which are spaced from each other transversely of the upper section. By this arrangement the upper or rear end portion of a mattress will be supported in position to engage under a patients head, or a pillow formed separate from the mattress may be supported against the strips 23 and 24.

The back and head rest is to be disposed either in a horizontal position in which it rests upon the side bars 2 and rear cross bar 3 of the stretcher frame, or disposed at an incline, as shown in Figure 1, and thus permit the patient to either lie in a' reclining position upon the stretcher or be propped up. In order to permit the back and head rest or support to be secured at a desired incline, there has been provided props 25 which are arranged in pairs disposedat opposite sides of each of the side bars 6 and pivotally connected therewith by pins 26. The pins pass through the slots 22 and limit adjustment of the upper section. These props extend rearwardly of the back rest from the pins and each pair of props have their rear ends disposed at opposite sides of a cam 21 formed of metal. A U -shaped latch 28 pivotally connects each pair of braces with its cooperating cam, and referring to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that the upper arm 29 of each latch extends through a cam and the cooperating braces .in eccentric relation to the cam. The latch extends rearwardly beyond the cam with its lower arm30 which is parallel to the upper arm 29 extending transversely across a coupling sleeve 3| having side ears 32 between which the cam is pivotally mounted by a pin 33 extending through the cam in eccentric relation thereto. Therefore, after the latch is swung up by hand and when pressure is applied to shift the braces rearwardly of the stretcher frame the two cams will be rotated rearwardly about the pins 33 and the cams will be swung about these pins from the position shown in Figure 3 toward that of Figure 4 and cause the concaved peripheral faces of the cams to have tight gripping engagement with the side bars 2 of the stretcher frame. The back rest andthe braces 25 must be first shifted forwardly to permit movement of the latches by hand out of engagement with the undercut inner edges of the end portions 35 of the sleeve before the cam can move to a gripping position. The sleeves 3| when out to form the ears 32 define end portions 34 and 35 having undercut inner edges, and referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5 it will be seen that a spring formed of resilient wire has its helical portion 36 engaged about the pin 33 at one side oi the cam with its arms 31 and 38 extending therefrom. The arm 3'1 is formed with a hooked end engaged about the portion 34 of the sleeve to anchor this arm, and the arm 38 extends upwardly from the pin and terminates in a hooked end engaged about the arm 29 of the latch. These springs serve to urge the cams into gripping engagement with the side bars of the stretcher frame and, therefore, theback and head rest may be easily drawn upwardly to the inclined position of Figure 1 but will not be liable to accidentally slip as the springs will move the cams toward a gripping position as soon as the back and head rest is released after being drawn up wardly and the weight of the back and head rest, and also the weight of the patient resting thereon, will apply pressure to the braces 25 to urge them rearwardly and move the cams into tighter grip against the side bars of the stretcher frame. When it is desired to lower the back and head rest it'is first swung upwardly to swing the cams to a releasing position and upward pull upon the back and head rest is continued until the latch moves upwardly tosuch a position that its lower arm 30 will rest upon the side bar 2 in front of the rear portion 35 of the sleeve as shown in Figure 3. The latches will, therefore, prevent the cams from turning rearwardly about their pivots 33 into gripping engagement with the side bars 2 and the sleeves can then slide rearwardly along the side bars of the stretcher frame and permit the back and head rest to be lowered without interference by the cams. When it is desired to again raise the back and head rest, upward pull will be exerted thereon to turn the cams towards the left in Figure 3 and shift the latches away from the undercut rear end portions 35 of the sleeves and the latches then swung by hand upwardly to an elevated position in which they may move across rear ends 35 of the sleeves as shown in Figure 4 and permit the cams to have gripping engagement with the side bars 01' the stretcher frame and hold the back and head rest in an adjusted position.

In Figure 6, there has been shown a slightly modified construction. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that the side bars 39 of the back rest are open at their upper ends and the cross strips 40 are secured at their ends to the side bars, as shown at 4|, the longitudinally extending metal strips 42 having their upper ends projecting above the upper cross strip 40 and connected by a cross strip 43. The couplings Ill carried by the side bars 6 are omitted, and the rods or tubes 44 which form reduced extensions for arms 45 of the cross bar 46 of the head rest are directly received in the side bars 39. These reduced extensions 44 are slotted from adjacent their lower or forward ends, so that they will have frictional grip with walls of the side bars 39 similar to the manner in which the extensions 2!} frictionally grip walls of the side bar 6 and retain the head rest in an adjusted position. A cross strip 48 corresponding to the cross strip 23 extends between the arms 45 with its ends secured to these arms, as shown at 49, and strips 50 corresponding to the strips 24 extend between the strip 48 and cross bar 46 with their ends secured thereto, as shown at 5| and 52. This back and head rest may be used in place of the back and head rest shown in Figure 1 it being understood that it will be pivoted to the side bars of the stretcher frame in the same manner in which the back and head rest of Figure 1 are mounted and will also carry braces corresponding to the braces 25.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, a frame having side bars, a support having side bars pivotally connected with the side bars of said frame whereby said support may be swung vertically to angularly adjusted positions above the frame, mountings slidable along the side bars of said frame, eccentric gripping elements pivotally carried by said mountings above the side bars of the frame, and braces extending between and pivotally connected with the gripping elements and side bars of said support for tilting the gripping elements into and out of position to grip the side bars of the frame and secure the mountings in adjusted positions upon the side bars of the frame and retain the support in a vertically adjusted position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a frame having side bars, a support over said frame having side bars pivotally connected with the side bars of the frame, braces pivoted to the side bars of said support, mountings slidable along the side bars of said frame, and cams eccentrical- 1y pivoted to said mountings, said braces being eccentrically pivoted to said cams whereby the cams may be moved into and out of gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame and when in a gripping position hold the mountings in adjusted positions upon the frame with the support in an angularly adjusted position.

3. A device of the character described comprising a frame having side bars, a support over said frame having side bars pivotally connected with the side bars of said frame, mountings slidable along the side bars of said frame, cams pivoted to said mountings over the side bars of said frame, braces pivoted at their ends to the cams and side bars of said support for moving the cams into and out of gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame and holding the support in a vertically adjusted position, and means for temporarily preventing movement of the cams into gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame.

4. A device of the character described comprising a frame having side bars, a support over said frame having side bars pivotally connected with the frame, sleeves slidable longitudinally upon the side bars of said frame andhaving ears intermediate their ends, cams pivotally connected with said ears, braces pivoted to the side bars of the support and to said cams for moving the cams into and out of gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame and holding the support in an angularly adjusted position, and latches extending from said braces and movable into and out of engagement with means on the end portions of said sleeves for holding the cams out of gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame and permitting free sliding of the sleeves.

5. A device of the character described comprising a frame having side bars, a support having side bars pivotally connected with said frame, sleeves slidable longitudinally upon the side bars of said frame, cams pivotally carried by said sleeves for movement into and out of gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame, braces having their forward ends pivoted to the side bars of said support, U-shaped latches having upper arms extending through the braces and cams to pivotally connect the braces with the cams, and lower arms extending transversely across the sleeves and side bars of the frame and movable with the braces into and out of position to engage means on the sleeves and retain the cams out of gripping engagement with the side bars of the frame.

6. In a device of the character described, a frame having side bars, a support over said frame having side bars pivotally connected with the frame, sleeves slidable along the side bars of said frame and each having hinge ears intermediate its length and open spaces between the hinge ears and rear end portions of the sleeve exposing portions of the side bars of the frame, cams, pivot pins carried by said ears and extending through the cams eccentrically thereof and pivotally mounting the cams between the ears of said sleeves for tilting movement vertically into and out of gripping engagement with exposed portions of the side bars of the frame, braces pivoted at their forward ends to the side bars of said support, latches pivotally connecting rear ends of said braces with said cams in eccentric relation thereto and having portions extending rearwardly beyond the cams, the latches being movable longitudinally of the sleeves with the braces and cams into and out of position for engagement of their rearwardly extending portions with notched rear portions of the sleeves to temporarily prevent rearward tilting of the cams into gripping engagement with the exposed portions of the side bars of the frame, and springs carried by said pivot pins and urging said cams rearwardly into position for gripping engagement with the exposed portions of the side bars of the frame.

7. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a support over said frame having tubular side bars, forward ends of the side bars being pivotally connected with the frame whereby the support may be moved vertically toangularly adjusted positions, means for holding the bars in adjusted position, couplings carried by rear ends of the side bars and having side extensions formed with sockets, a cross bar for the rear end of said support having side arms 

